My Brother's Keeper
by Horsetamer5
Summary: Total AU where Theon never betrayed the Starks. While fighting with Robb Stark, 14-year-old Theon Greyjoy is captured and tortured by Ramsay Bolton. Theon's sister Yara learns of her brother's capture and rescues him. This is the story of Theon's recovery. (For the purpose of this fic, Theon is younger than Robb and Jon. He is 14 instead of 19 at the time of Ned Stark's death)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Possible trigger warning, graphic depictions of wounds, and mention of previous torture. In this fic, Theon is younger than he is in the show.**

Yara Greyjoy lay down next to her little brother and gently stroked his burning forehead. She had just rescued Theon from Ramsay Bolton's clutches, and they were making haste back towards the Iron Islands. Theon was wounded both physically and psychologically in too many ways to count. Many of his wounds were festering as a result of his time in the kennels; causing a severe infection to rage through his body.

The 14-year-old whimpered and tried to pull away from his elder sister's touch.

"N-no, no, please don't hurt me!" Theon sobbed. "I'll be good! Please, Master! Reek is good! Good Reek! No!"

"Shh, shh, easy now," Yara hushed. "Just sleep, little brother. You're safe. I'm right here."

The door to the room opened, and two of Yara's loyal men entered carrying a jar of salve, a bucket of water, and some rags.

"I need your help," the princess said as she took a small vial out of her pocket. "My brother is traumatized, and I worry that we may injure him more if we try to clean his wounds. I'm afraid that we need to put him out for this."

Theon struggled as Yara put the vial up to his mouth. When he swung out to try and knock the bottle out of her hand, it became clear that more drastic measures were needed to get him sedated.

So, feeling like an utter monster, the Ironborn princess directed one of her men to hold Theon's arms above his head while Yara straddled him. She reached out and pinched his nose shut, waiting out his struggles until her baby brother opened his mouth to gasp for air. Seizing the opportunity, Yara poured the concoction into Theon's mouth before covering it with her hand to prevent him from spitting it up. She then used a finger to massage his throat; encouraging him to swallow.

Once that task was finished, they quickly laid Theon in a recovery position on his side, and Yara ordered the men back to their posts as she began the arduous task of healing her little brother.

She quickly divested him of the rags that served as his shirt and trousers. Yara was grateful that her brother was sedated so that he could not see the rage that marred her face as she took in every cut, scar, burn, and various other injuries.

However, the castration wound between Theon's legs was what concerned Yara the most. It was red, inflamed, and leaking pus; these symptoms, combined with the intense heat radiating from it, pointed to the source of Theon's infection.

Yara realized that she was not adequately equipped to treat the wound, so she sent for a soldier to bring her bandages and herbs to make a healing compress.

She placed it between her little brother's legs bandaging his hips and groin just enough to keep the compress in place.

Yara felt her heart shatter as Theon whimpered in his sleep and tried to curl in on himself. Even sedated, it was clear that peaceful rest eluded him.

"_You're safe now, little brother," she thought, taking up vigil on the empty side of the bed. "I've got you back, and I'm never letting you go."_

Over the next week, Theon gradually came to understand that he was truly safe from the hands of the Boltons. His fever broke, but he still had yet to speak.

Yara gathered that all of the beatings that Theon endured in his captivity left him with a degree of brain damage. From what she could muster, her brother's communication was now limited to grunts, cries, and screams.

Furthermore, Theon could not evenly track movement with his eyes, and his body was constantly wracked with tremors and twitches.

He remained glued to Yara's side, a hand constantly gripping the fabric of her tunic sleeve or trouser leg.

While Yara was more than happy to provide comfort and remain a safe anchor point for her little brother; having Theon underfoot on the deck posed a significant danger to them both.

Her reprieve came in the form of her first mate and lover, Qarl.

Throughout their journey, Qarl noticed that Theon had a proclivity for tying knots in strands of rope that he found whenever the teen was on deck.

One day, when Theon was acting particularly clingy and refusing to leave Yara's side, Qarl came up to them and handed Theon a piece of netting.

Taking advantage of Theon's momentary fascination with the item, Qarl guided the boy to sit down on the deck so that he was next to his sister but not in her way. Theon was so absorbed in maneuvering the netting in his hands that he barely registered the change.

From that day forward, that became Theon's daily task, giving Yara the freedom to move about the ship as she liked.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: This is purely a sibling fic. There is No Incest.

Yarra dropped to her knees on the deck next to her brother.

"Theon? What's wrong?" The Ironborn Captain asked.

In response to his sister's query, the younger Greyjoy's hands came up to scratch at his face, his few remaining nails leaving angry red streaks in their wake.

"No, Theon, don't scratch," Yara ordered, as she took hold of her baby brother's wrists, keeping her voice even so as not to distress him further. "Do you want to back below deck? Is that what you need right now?"

At her brother's quiet nod, the sea woman stood up. She lifted him into her arms; ensuring that he was comfortably settled before turning and heading back down into the ship's hold.

"Here we go, baby brother, nice and quiet," Yara murmured. She leaned down, intending to deposit Theon on the bed and change the dressings on his wounds. Theon, however, had other ideas; the 14-year-old began to whine and fuss in his sister's arms as his arms tightened around her neck.

"Hey, hey, settle down," Yara soothed, sitting on the edge of the bed before adjusting Theon on her lap. She positioned the teen so that no stress was applied to the wounds on his back and groin.

"I'm not going anywhere, little brother," she promised. "I just need to get a bath set up for you and then change your bandages. That's all."

Theon shook his head, letting out a frantic sob as he tightened his grip.

"Okay, okay, we can just sit here for a bit," Yara soothed.

At her words, the dam broke, and Theon let out a long, broken, keen before dissolving into a fit of violent sobs.

"That's it, baby brother, just cry it out," Yara murmured, rocking the distraught prince before tucking his head against the crook of her neck. "You're safe; I'm here. Cry as long as you need to, no one will judge you here."

Theon cried long and hard against Yara's shoulder; his sobs intermittently broken by screams of frustration and anguish.

All Yara could do was hold him through the storm of emotions, whispering soothing assurances of safety and love.

Eventually, Theon's sobs tapered off into tiny hiccups, and he lay against his sister's chest; utterly spent.

The Iron Queen couldn't help the sympathetic murmur that passed her lips as she caught her baby brother's gaze.

The whites of Theon's eyes were tinged pink, and his face was littered with tiny, purple dots.

"By God, he cried so violently that some of the blood vessels on his face burst," she thought.

"C'mon little brother," Yara said, keeping her voice low and even to keep Theon calm as she lifted him and walked over to sit him on a table near the bath. "Let's get you bathed and change your bandages; then it's back to bed with you."

* * *

An hour later, Theon was curled up in a hammock in Yara's quarters. The steady rocking of the ship having lulled him to sleep as soon as Yara had him settled. For the first time since his rescue, the teen's sleep was calm.

The 29-year-old Captain sat in a chair next to her baby brother. She kept a steady hand on his belly and read over a parchment with the other. Every so often, the ship would still, and Theon would begin to fuss as the rocking motion ceased. When this occurred, Yara would slightly rock the hammock with a soft proclamation of "I'm right here," much like a mother settling a babe in a cradle.

This routine went on late into the evening. Theon was now curled on his side in the hammock with his hands tucked under his chin, murmuring contently in his sleep.

* * *

The peace did not last long, however, as Theon began to thrash in his sleep before waking in a fit of sobs.

Yara was at his side in seconds with soothing words and the assurance that all was well. Theon's arms remained about his head; as if shielding him from a blow.

When Yara helped Theon out of the hammock, the source of his distress became clear.

The entirety of the boy's britches was soaked through; in his distress, Theon wet himself.

The teen let out a whimper and shrank back as Yara took a gentle hold of his arms and guided them away from his head.

"You're alright," Yara soothed. "I'm not angry; it was an accident. You're not in trouble."

Theon looked finally looked up at his sister's proclamation; his eyes alight with a hopeful trepidation that made Yara's heart clench. His gaze was begging her to speak those blessed words again.

"You're not in trouble," Yara repeated. "I love you baby brother," with that; she drew him to rest against her breast, pressing gentle kisses to the top of his head.

They stood like that for a long while until Theon began to squirm in her embrace. He was ready to get out of his soiled clothes.

* * *

Warning: Graphic depiction of wounds and wound treatment. Feel free to skip this part if it offends you.

Yara was amazed at the amount of her brother's trust that she gained in the two weeks since his rescue.

Once she had the necessary supplies, the Captain lay a waterproof oilcloth on her bed for her sibling to rest on. She turned, prepared to help Theon out of his clothes, only to see that the boy had stripped off his britches and underclothes.

Surprised, she guided him to lay down before undoing the bandages around his hips. She grimaced as she caught sight of the mixture of blood and urine that soaked the compress between Theon's legs.

"Fuck!" She thought as she peeled the compress away; revealing the wound.

"No man should have to go through this; but for a boy of only 14 years to endure what he has. By the Drowned God if I had 10 minutes alone with those Bolton monsters.."

A whimper jolted Yara out of her thoughts, and she quickly schooled her gaze into that of a loving older sister.

"Just relax Lil' Kraken," she told Theon, using her 'bossy older sister voice' as Theon called it. "We're going to have you fixed up in no time."

Resuming her task, Yara used a soft cloth dipped in warm water to clean the bloody mess from around the castration site. As gentle as she was, Theon still flinched every time she touched the area.

"Almost done," she promised each time, her free hand reaching over to pat her brother's knee.

After what seemed like an eternity, the mess was cleared away, and she spread a healing salve around Theon's groin to combat any skin irritations.

Finally, she placed a fresh compress over the area and wrapped a bandage around his hips.

"You did so well, baby brother," Yara praised, leaning down to kiss the top of Theon's head. "I'm so, so proud of you."

She then moved to grab a pair of woolen pajamas for him; using the time that he dressed to put away her supplies and change the bedding in the hammock. She made sure to line it with two layers of oilcloth in case of other "accidents."

After ensuring that they both had a proper meal, Yara spent the rest of the evening telling Theon the histories and lore of the Iron Islands. She then moved on to telling him stories of their childhood, watching his eyes, and desperately hoping to see a spark of remembrance.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

**A/N: In this AU, Balon dies of natural causes, Euron is allied with Yara and Theon, and he supports Yara's claim to the Salt Throne. Euron is DEFINITELY OOC in this fic.**

Yara Greyjoy, Queen of the Iron Islands, smiled slightly to herself as she listened to the crash of the waves outside her window. By the light of a flickering candle, she read over and signed her last report of the day. Now that she had that task finished and her little brother settled for bed, the queen could finally get some sleep of her own.

The past three weeks, since their return to Pyke, were a whirlwind of activity. First, the two siblings learned of their father's murder the moment they made port. Then, by a vote of the entire Kingsmoot and with staunch support from their uncle Euron; Yara was elected queen of the Iron Islands. Now, she was balancing her duties as regent with those of raising Theon.

_"Speak of the little Kraken," _she thought as she heard the door to her room open and the approach of uneven footsteps that could only belong to her little brother.

Yara kept her eyes closed, and she soon felt Theon climb up into the bed with her; his frail, boney arms wrapping around her body as he buried his face against her chest.

The silence was soon broken as Theon's whole body trembled and he let out a broken sob.

Yara opened her eyes and sat up slightly before taking a gentle hold of Theon's left wrist, turning his hand, so his palm was facing up. The two of them had developed a sort of communication where Yara would tap her brother's hand a certain number of times; corresponding to the letters of the alphabet, to spell out words and phrases. Theon would then respond in kind.

'Bad dream?" She tapped out, drawing a question mark with her finger to indicate a query.

"Aye," Theon tapped back.

"Sleep now?" Yara tapped.

Theon shook his head frantically, letting out a pathetic whine.

"Okay, you don't have to sleep, Theon. I won't make you do anything that you don't want to do," Yara soothed.

This seemed to appease the boy as he settled closer to her, allowing himself to relax.

The queen closed her eyes, her mind drifting back to the day of their father's funeral.

* * *

_The new queen and the prince of the Iron Islands watched as their father was prepared for his burial. _

_Yara stood tall, embracing Theon from behind with her chin resting atop his head. Once Balon's body was covered with rocks, seaweed, and wood, a group of Ironborn men, led by their uncle Euron, lifted the pallet that he was resting on and brought it to the shore of the cove. _

_Yara followed, intertwining her hand with her baby brother's to gently lead him; positioning Theon so that he was between her and their uncle. _

_"Lord, take your servant Balon back beneath the waves," the Drowned Priest leading the ceremony proclaimed as they entered the water. Theon paused and let out a gasp as the cold water touched his still healing wounds but, with a gentle nudge from Euron, followed the precession. "Feed the creatures of your kingdom on his flesh. Pull his bones down to your depths to rest beside his ancestors and his children." _

_"What is dead may never die!" Everyone proclaimed before silencing and watching their king's body drift out to sea. _

_Theon's trembling voice broke the silence, and tears streamed down Yara's face as he spoke. _

_"W-wha-what i-is d-dead may n-ne-never d-die," the 14-year-old said, haltingly before lapsing back into silence. _

* * *

A small keen drew Yara out of her memory, and she met Theon's pleading gaze as he made the sign for music.

"You want a song?" The queen asked gently. "Would that help you fall asleep?"

Theon nodded.

"Alright, settle down then," Yara instructed, adjusting them both so that they were ready for sleep.

_"Where the north wind meets the sea _

_There's a river full of memory," _she began, her voice soft and melodic. Theon breathed out a sigh and settled closer against her chest.

_Sleep, my darling, safe and sound _

_For in this river all is found _

_In her waters, deep and true _

_Lie the answers and a path for you _

_Dive down deep into her sound _

_But not too far or you'll be drowned _

_Yes, she will sing to those who'll hear _

_And in her song, all magic flows _

_But can you brave what you most fear? _

_Can you face what the river knows? _

_Where the north wind meets the sea _

_There's a mother full of memory _

_Come, my darling, homeward bound _

_When all is lost, then all is found." _

Yara allowed her voice to trail off, a hand coming up to card through her sleeping brother's hair as she closed her own eyes and quickly drifted off to sleep.

**Song: "All Is Found," Evan Rachel Wood.**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: In this AU, Balon dies of natural causes, Euron is allied with Yara and Theon, and he supports Yara's claim to the Salt Throne. Euron is DEFINITELY OOC in this fic.**

Today had been a rough one. While Yara was pleased that Theon was taking advantage of his newfound confidence and sense of safety; she did not appreciate his newfound defiance. The stress of the day came to a head at dinner when Theon refused to eat.

"Theon Greyjoy, I will not tell you again, sit down and eat," Yara ordered, her voice dangerously low.

"Sit down and eat. Sit down and eat," Theon echoed, a mocking tone lacing his voice as he paced around the room.

"Don't you cop an attitude with me," Yara warned, pushing back from the table and grabbing her brother by the arm before dragging him to sit in a chair. Reaching over, she grabbed the discarded bowl of food and placed it in front of him, along with a spoon.

"Eat. Now!" Came her stern command.

"Don't want," Theon responded, trying to push back from the table.

"Now you listen to me," Yara scolded, catching hold of her brother's chin. "You may be a teenager, but if you insist on acting like a bratty little boy who refuses his dinner, then I will treat you as such and feed you like a child. Are we clear?"

"We clear? We clear? We clear?" Theon parroted, his voice rising in pitch as he hit the table with his hands to express his frustration.

"You've made your choice then," Yara responded, hooking a muscled arm around her brother's chest and lifting the frail teen onto her lap. She held him in place as he struggled and used her free hand to put some food onto the spoon before bringing it up to Theon's mouth.

"We clear?! Fuck you! Fuck you!" the 14-year-old screamed, knocking the spoon out of his sister's hand before standing to face her. His fists clenched at his sides, breathing heavy.

Yara froze in shock for a moment at the words before her hand shot out and she backhanded Theon hard enough to knock the prince off of his feet.

"You will not curse me!" she scolded, grabbing his arms; her face inches from his and her voice steely. "I'm sick and tired of this new attitude of yours, and it stops now unless you want a proper thrashing! Are. We. Clear?!"

Theon struggled and finally managed to free himself with a squeal before bolting from the room as fast as his healing wounds would allow.

The rush of anger quickly wore off, and the gravity of what she had just done hit Yara full force. For the first time in her life, the Iron queen dropped her head into her hands and allowed herself to cry.

* * *

She found Theon in her room, cowering in one of the corners with his arms drawn around himself in a makeshift hug.

He was rocking and muttering under his breath. Yara's heart shattered when she heard the mantra.

"My name is Reek," Theon muttered desperately. "It rhymes with weak."

"Reek, Reek, my name is Reek. It rhymes with freak. "

"No, sweet boy, no, no," Yara murmured, keeping her voice low as she made her way over to her terrified baby brother. "Not Reek. You are Theon. Theon Greyjoy. My precious baby brother."

For a long, tense moment, Theon stared at his sister before realization came over his gaze, and he launched himself into Yara's arms, taking them both to the ground.

"I'm so sorry, Theon," The 29-year-old murmured as the teen wailed like a babe against her shoulder. "There now, shh. You're safe, baby brother, I'm here. Big sister is right here."

Eventually, Theon calmed enough to allow Yara to pick him up and carry him over to her bed. After the mess at dinner, there was no doubt that Theon would be spending the night in her room.

Yara set him down and felt her heart shatter even further as she caught sight of the damp in front of her brother's trousers.

"_Hells, I scared Theon so much that he pissed himself. He hasn't done that since immediately after his rescue,"_ she thought, silently resolving not to bring up the matter to avoid humiliating her brother.

"Theon, I'm going to run a bath for you, how does that sound?" She asked

"Bath" was Theon's only response.

She took that as an affirmative and moved to prepare the tub while Theon rocked from side to side on her bed, watching her every move.

Despite the earlier upset, they quickly fell into their nightly routine. Theon climbed into the tub with his sister's help, and Yara then stepped back to give the teen space to wash.

Tonight, however, Yara had to step in as Theon was scrubbing his skin raw.

The Lady Reaper came over and knelt by her brother with a kind smile.

"Can I help?" she asked gently.

* * *

They sat in companionable silence, Yara reading from a book by the hearth while Theon sat at the table, drawing on a piece of parchment. The two had reached an agreement; Theon could spend the rest of the evening as he pleased if he ate the food that was placed in front of him.

Occasionally, Yara would allow her gaze to drift to the side to ensure that her brother was holding up his end of the bargain. She smiled to herself as Theon took a bite of food before pushing his knees against the table and rocking his chair backward. He let out a small laugh as the chair hit the ground, and the process repeated.

Suddenly, the calm atmosphere of the room was shattered by a pained squeal.

Yara jumped to her feet just in time to see Theon hit the floor and scramble into a corner.

"Whoa, whoa, it's alright, Theon," Yara soothed, kneeling next to her brother. "It's just me, can you look at me?" She asked quietly.

Eventually, Theon complied. When the 14-year-old crawled out of the corner and into the light, the source of his distress became clear.

There was a gash on his left temple, which was steadily weeping blood, the skin around the wound already bruising purple.

"You're just having one hell of a day, huh baby brother?" Yara asked sympathetically, reaching over to draw Theon into her arms; cradling him as he sobbed.

"What happened?" Euron Greyjoy asked, entering the room and catching sight of his niece and wailing nephew.

"Theon was rocking his chair to balance on its back legs, " Yara began. "On his last try, his lame foot hit the table, which caused him to jerk back and make the chair slip. He tried to grab the edge of the table as he went down and slammed his head onto the metal corner. So, here we are."

"Little Theon," Euron murmured sadly; sitting down next to the siblings and placing a calloused but gentle hand on the prince's back. "Can you look at uncle so that I can see your wound?" the naval commander asked.

Theon obliged, turning his head against his sister's chest so that his left temple was visible.

Euron winced in sympathy before addressing his queen.

"The edges of the wound are too ragged for sutures," Euron explained. "However, I happen to have some healing paste that we can coat it with to prevent infection."

He then turned to address the prince, "I know how tired you are of wearing bandages, but the only way to ensure that the paste works properly is to wrap your wound. If all goes well, the bandages should come off in a few days. I'd also like to take a look at your bad foot, just to make sure that everything is healing as it should. Is that alright with you?"

"Uh-huh," Theon agreed before looking up at Yara. "Stay?" He asked.

"Now and always, baby brother," Yara affirmed. "Now and always."


	5. Chapter 5

There were days when Yara Greyjoy wondered if her brother would ever be the same. Today was one of those days.

The night before, the young queen barely got any rest. She spent the night in Theon's room, cradling the trembling prince at her side and silently willing him to sleep.

The morning was no better, Theon refused to eat or drink anything; opting to cling desperately to his sister as Yara attempted to get ready for the day.

Yara had a meeting a Red Harbor with the shipwright to discuss the construction of additional longships for the Iron Fleet. There was no way that she could take Theon as the journey to the harbor was a treacherous one. Their uncle Euron offered to watch the boy for the morning; Yara felt horrible, leaving Theon after such a difficult night, but this meeting was one of the few that could not wait.

So, with a heavy heart, she pried her brother off of her and transferred Theon into their uncle's arms. She kissed the teen on the forehead, promising to be back before midday. She then walked out of the room; attempting to stem her unshed tears at the sound of Theon's panicked sobbing.

* * *

Theon took one look at his sister upon her return and bolted from the room. It took Yara almost an hour to find him, and when she did, her heart broke.

Theon was in the kennels, curled up in the corner of an empty cage. The 14-year-old looked just as he had when Yara saved him from the Dreadfort. He stared at her with blank eyes, hooking an arm around the bars of the cage as he watched her kneel.

"Theon, do you know where you are?" Yara asked, subtly reaching a hand back to halt the guards behind her. Theon was already in a fragile state; there was no need to distress him more.

The prince just stared at her as he backed further into the cage.

"You can't trick me," he muttered, as Yara reached out to soothe him. "Tell him you couldn't trick me."

"I'm not tricking you, Theon," Yara promised. "Now, let's get you back inside. You're just getting over a fever. The damp and cold are the last thing that you need right now."

"Not Theon!" the teenager screamed, clinging tighter to the bars as Yara took a gentle hold of his arms. "Reek! My name is Reek!"

"You're Theon," Yara responded, trying to ignore the knot of concern in her chest. It was clear that Theon had dissociated entirely. There was no sense in trying to talk to him; she just had to get him out of here. "You're Theon Greyjoy. You're my baby brother."

"No, I don't believe her!" Theon wailed. "I know who I am! I'm Reek! Loyal Reek! Good Reek!

I've always been Reek!"

Yara finally managed to heft Theon out of the cage, but the boy struggled so much that she was forced to go to the ground to avoid dropping him. The queen maneuvered Theon on her lap so that the boy was facing her with his arms trapped against his chest.

"Get my uncle," she ordered a guard, "Tell him it's urgent."

"Shh, shh, baby brother," Yara murmured, turning her attention back to Theon and pressing his head to her shoulder in an attempt to stem his cries. "You're not there. You're safe on Pyke. Safe in my arms."

"I'm Reek! Loyal Reek!" Theon squalled, renewing his struggles when he caught sight of Euron striding towards them.

"Ahh! Fuck! Theon!" Yara screamed as Theon sunk his teeth into the soft, unprotected flesh between her neck and armored shoulder.

Stunned, her grip about him went slack, and Theon attempted to crawl back into the cage; only to be lifted into Euron's arms. Theon bit and scratched at the man who had become a surrogate father to him; desperate to escape.

The prince finally managed to wrench himself free only to bolt headfirst into a metal support beam; splitting his forehead open and knocking himself unconscious.

* * *

Now, Yara sat at her ward's bedside, keeping the boy's hand entwined with her own to keep him calm. Their uncle Euron gave Theon an additional sedative, so there was no telling when the boy would wake up.

A set of manacles kept Theon tethered to the bed; a safety precaution until the prince awoke in his right mind.

Theon's faithful dog, a pup named Kyra, lay at the boy's feet; her head was resting on his ankles. Yara found the dog curled up in the same cage as Theon at the Dreadfort. Kyra was the only being that provided the prince with any sense of safety during his torture, and Theon refused to leave his only friend behind, so Yara took them both.

As the hours dragged on, Yara felt herself drifting off to sleep. Not wanting to risk have Theon wake up scared and alone, the Lady Reaper lay down on the bed next to her brother. She removed the manacles, opting to adjust Theon so that he was cradled in her arms. Once she was sure that her ward was secure, Yara allowed herself to drift off.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: In this fic, Robb, Talisa, and Catelyn managed to survive the Red Wedding. All of the other Stark children are living back in Winterfell.

Theon kept a death grip on his sister's hand as their ship made port in White Harbor. They had come to finalize the details of an alliance between the Iron Islands and the North. This meant that Theon was going to see his adoptive brother, Robb, for the first time since the infamous Red Wedding.

A hand landed on his shoulder, and Theon let out a shocked gasp.

"Easy, baby brother," Yara murmured. "I'll be here the whole time. Remember that King Robb thinks of you as a brother, as does Lady Talisa. Between the three of us, you are perfectly safe here."

* * *

Robb Stark could not believe his eyes as he watched the IronBorn disembarked the ship. A young woman, presumably Yara Greyjoy, was the first to greet the northerners. Robb and Talisa responded in kind, but Robb's attention was quickly drawn to the young man at Yara's side. The boy was thin and skittish, but his eyes held an unmistakable glint that could only belong to one person.

"Theon?" the King asked gently. "Theon, is that really you?"

"He doesn't trust easily after all that has happened. He only believed that you were alive after the second raven arrived," Yara explained.

Taking the Lady Reaper's words to heart, Robb took a knee to lock eyes with his surrogate brother.

"Theon, it's me. It's Robb. Can you look at me?" the King asked.

There was a tense pause as Theon looked up before he gasped, wrenched himself out of his sister's hold, and threw himself into his "big brother's" arms.

"You're alive, you're alive," the 14-year-old repeated. "The wedding. They shot you-, I thought-" Theon was so distraught that he couldn't get out a coherent sentence. This only seemed to distress him further, and he finally collapsed against Robb's shoulder in a fit of sobs. Yara came to their side and placed a hand on her brother's back, sharing a sad smile with Robb.

* * *

Theon withdrew more and more during their ride back to Winterfell. By the time they reached the castle, Theon had wholly dissociated. The teen no longer responded to Robb's teasing, or lady Talisa's kind words. His gaze just roamed warily about the courtyard, and he would flinch if anyone got too close.

These were all normal behavior considering what the teen had been through. What was not normal was the way that Theon swayed the moment that his feet hit the solid ground. Robb appeared to have caught on to the change in his "little brother's" behavior as the King quickly moved to steady the boy against his side until Yara could reach them.

"Are you feeling alright, little brother?" Yara asked as she gently took Theon from Robb's hold.

"Jus' tired," Theon slurred, leaning heavily against his sister.

"You look it," Robb interjected before addressing Yara. "I'll have someone show you to your quarters. We can meet tomorrow."

Yara's concern for her brother only grew as the evening drew on. Theon barely touched his supper, and he only spoke when asked a direct question or given an instruction. He spent the rest of the time sitting cross-legged on his cot; rocking from side to side as he stared blankly ahead.

"This behavior is more than just discomfort at new surroundings," Yara thought as she moved to sit behind her brother. She wrapped a blanket around Theon before drawing him to lean against her breast. "I'm afraid that something more is at play here. I just can't figure out what."

As if to answer the unspoken question, Theon turned and began to sob quietly against Yara's shoulder. Caring for her baby brother for the past few months gave Yara the ability to decipher Theon's different cries. This current sobbing fit was a sign that the young man was entirely overwhelmed by the day's events.

She learned early into her brother's recovery not to expect a verbal response when Theon was this unsettled. So, the Lady Reper did the only thing that she could; she cradled Theon against her and waited.

"Oh, baby brother, maybe one day you'll be able to tell me what I can do to make this all better."

* * *

Everyone in the meeting jumped as Theon's goblet slipped out his hand and crashed to the floor. The teen appeared unphased by the incident; staring blankly ahead as he worried the hem of his shirt with his good hand.

"Shit!" Yara muttered, drawing confused looks from Robb, Talisa, and Lady Catelyn as she made her way to Theon's side.

"What's happening?" Robb asked, standing up and moving to kneel next to his "little brother."

"He's having a seizure," Yara explained. "Likely flashing back as well. 'Usually is when he gets like this."

Suddenly, Theon's whole body when slack, and he fell to the floor before his entire body began to seize violently. Yara could only stare in shock; Theon had never done this before.

Talisa and Catelyn were at the teen's side in seconds.

"Let's get him onto his side," the Queen ordered, her training as a healer coming to the fore. "Lady Yara, I need you to sit down and position Theon's head on your lap, talk calmly to him, try to bring him back. Robb, try to undo some of the laces on his shirt, we need to loosen anything around the boy's throat."

"What can I do to help?" Catelyn asked.

"Talk to him with me, my lady," Yara requested before Talisa answer. "You have been like a mother to him. If he hears your voice, he may begin to realize that he's safe."

"His airway is clear!" Talisa announced, clearly relieved. "Unfortunately, all we can do is wait this out."

Flashback:

Inspired by the song Run Boy Run

Something was going to happen, Robb could feel it in his bones. Lord Frey was plotting something the young regent could not tell exactly what.

Scanning the room, Robb caught sight of 14- year-old Theon, who was laughing and joking with some of the older warriors.

Robb made his way over to the boy and grasped Theon's arm before moving them to a secluded area of the room.

"Theon, I want you to listen to me very carefully," the King instructed his ward as the boy stared at him in confusion. Robb kept his voice low so as not to alert others around them.

Theon opened his mouth to argue, but Robb beat him to it.

"Boy, you listen to me now as there's no time to argue. We are in imminent danger, and I need to keep you safe. I want you to act as if you are retiring for the night and walk calmly out of the keep.

Once you get past the gates, you run. You run and don't look back. Follow the rising sun; safety lies just behind the hills to the east. I want you to hide out near our last camp. I'll come to find you when once I get my wife and mother out of here. Run! Go now!"

Chaos erupted just as Robb shouted the command. He gave a hard push to Theon's back, sending the boy stumbling into a run.

Somehow, the 14-year-old made it out of the Twins and into the surrounding wilderness. Adrenaline fueling him, he ran until his legs gave out, and his lungs fought for air.

Exhausted, Theon crawled into a hidden space under a rocky outcropping and collapsed into unconsciousness.

He was jarred awake by the sound of mocking laughter.

"Well, what 'ave we here?" An unfamiliar voice asked. "Looks like we found the runt of the Stark litter boys!"

A hand clamped around Theon's throat, and he slipped into unconsciousness. What he didn't know was that he would soon wake into a living hell.

Time slowed, and it seemed like hours before Theon finally stilled in his sister's arms. His eyes flitted around the room, but he struggled to focus entirely on anything or anyone.

"Theon? Lil' Kraken, are ya with me?" Yara asked gently.

There was a long pause before Theon nodded slightly, he shivered; from the cold or a remnant of his seizure, they did not know.

Robb shrugged his fur cloak off and tucked it around the teen. Catelyn ran a hand down Theon's back and murmured soothingly under her breath.

"He seems to be coming out of his fit as expected," Talisa began, addressing Yara. "But I'd like to do a few quick checks just to be sure that nothing further is wrong. Is that alright?"

"Please, do whatever you need to," Yara responded.

Talisa nodded before taking a gentle hold of her patient's hand.

"Theon, I need you to squeeze my hand as tightly as you can, okay?" she asked.

Theon nodded and did as he was instructed.

"Very good," Talisa praised. "Now, I need you to answer a couple of questions for me, do you think that you can talk? It is okay if you can't yet."

"T-thi-think s-so," Theon answered his voice, gaining strength with every word. "W-wanna try."

"Alright," Talisa agreed. "First question, do you know where you are?"

"W-Winterfell," Theon responded. "G-Great hall."

"You are doing great, kiddo," Robb praised, softly ruffling his little brother's hair. Yara and Catelyn echoed his words.

"Just one more question, and then I'll leave you alone, okay, Theon?" Talisa prompted.

The boy nodded.

"Can you tell me who all is here with us?" the Queen asked.

"Yara, Robb, Queen Talisa, Lady Catelyn," Theon answered.

"Well, I can't argue with how aware you are," the Queen concluded. "However, I do not doubt that you are going to feel exhausted after your episode. It would be best if you take it easy for the rest of the day."

So, Theon ended up sleeping through the rest of the meeting on a makeshift cot, made of two chairs that we pushed together. The warmth of the pelt around his shoulders and the familiarity of it all helped to keep him settled.


	7. Chapter 7

Warning: This chapter has a graphic nightmare scene so please skip over that part if it disturbs you. The dream sequence is in italics.

Theon lay against his sister's side, listening as she recounted the lore of their people. Only two weeks had passed since they docked at Pyke, and Yara took the Salt Throne.

Theon was settling in well, all things considered. The prince still had yet to speak more than a few words, and his various injuries would take at least another month to heal. There was no telling how long it would take for the psychological damage to fade, but both his sister and uncle noticed small improvements every day.

Since her brother's rescue from the Dreadfort and subsequent return home; Yara was quick to establish a nightly routine for the teen. First, they had dinner together, along with their uncle Euron. Next, Yara gave her brother his nightly bath to help relax him. Finally, she got him settled into bed and lulled him to sleep with a story. Although the boy would inevitably end up in her bed sometime during the night; the queen made a point of starting her ward off in his room.

"..The Andals came to us as conquerors, in the end, they drowned, " Yara explained, her voice low and steady as she absently carded her fingers through Theon's hair. "For the Ironborn are of the Sea; as our god made us, and given to it as our god taught us. We do not fear the Storm God's winds or his waves. But you should; for they bring us to you.."

Concluding the story, Yara gently extracted herself from Theon's grasp and stood up. She watched with affection as her baby brother settled himself further under the blankets. The queen then moved around the room as she did every night; checking to make sure the windows were securely closed.

When she came back to the bedside, Yara found Theon blinking slowly with his hands tucked under his chin. The teen's breathing was already beginning to slow, and Yara had no doubt that he would be asleep before she made it to the door.

"Good night, baby brother," the queen murmured, leaning down to press a maternal kiss to the boy's forehead. "I love you."

"N-ni-night Y-Ya-Yara," Theon stuttered. "L-lo-love y-you too."

* * *

The queen stayed awake for another hour, reading over some paperwork and listening to the waves crashing against the rocks; lightning occasionally split the dark sky as a storm raged outside.

Eventually, exhaustion won over, and Yara set the papers aside before laying down and falling asleep herself.

Yara was trapped. She lay on her back atop a wooden table; hands and feet shackled to the four corners. Struggle as she might, there was no escaping her bonds. Around her, hooded figures moved like ghosts.

Suddenly, one turned and made their way to stand above her. The young woman's heart pounded in her ears, and her breathing sped up as the figure produced a knife.

"You are a traitor," one of the figures said, removing their hood to reveal the face of one of her slain crewmen. The others, including her torturer, followed suit, and she was suddenly faced with all the warriors killed under her command. "A traitor to your house. A traitor to your name. You sacrificed us to save your cowardly brother. Now, both of you will die as traitors!"

As one of the men spoke, another hauled Theon into the room and held him up so that Yara could see.

The young woman screamed as she watched her torturer take his knife and slit her little brother's throat.

Then, with purposeful steps, the man walked back over to Yara. She felt the cold steel of the knife rest against her throat.

* * *

She awoke with a scream and shot up in bed only to find two strong hands gripping her shoulders.

Her mind still fogged by the nightmare, Yara fought against the hold on her. She jerked and screamed, even throwing some blind punches, but the hands remained.

As her mind began to clear, the young queen heard someone speaking to her. She quickly recognized the voice of her uncle, Euron.

"Yara! Yara, you're okay!" Euron said, desperately trying to shake the girl out of her fit. Yara didn't seem to hear him; her eyes remained squeezed shut as she fought against his hold.

"You're awake now! C'mon little dolphin, open your eyes for me," the elder Greyjoy pleaded. "Open your eyes and see that you're safe!"

After a long while, Yara obeyed; she took one look at her uncle and flung herself into his arms, weeping like a terrified child.

Euron didn't know how long he held his niece to his chest; it could have been minutes; it could have been hours.

Eventually, Yara cried herself into exhaustion and collapsed against her uncle's chest.

The two sat in silence for a while; Yara was trying desperately to stay awake, and Euron lost in his own thoughts.

Suddenly, the heavy door to the room opened, and Theon limped tiredly across the threshold.

"Hey there, little brother," Yara greeted, working to keep her voice steady as she walked over to the boy.

"Did ya have a bad dream?" she asked, leading Theon over to the bed and lifting the boy onto her lap.

Instead of answering the question, Theon gazed silently at his sister, analyzing her.

"S-sca-scared," the 14-year-old stuttered out, pointing to the queen. "Y-Yara s-scared."

Both Yara and Euron chuckled at the boy's astute proclamation.

"You're right, Lil' Kraken," Yara agreed. "I had a bad dream, and I was scared for a bit. But uncle Euron woke me up and took care of me. Just like I do for you when you have a bad dream."

Theon nodded slightly in understanding before he reached his mangled hand up to his sister's cheek.

"C-cry," the teen murmured, using his remaining fingers to trace the dried tear tracks on Yara's face. "S-scared cry."

"Yes, I did cry for a bit," Yara responded.

"N-no cry. I p-pro-protect you," Theon assured before going silent and turning to hide his face against Yara's shoulder.

Euron and Yara were stunned. This was the most that Theon had spoken since his rescue. Aside from an isolated incident at his father's funeral, Theon remained timid and silent. Even if the boy did manage to string a few words together, this was the first time that he actually formed coherent sentences.

* * *

"Alright, you two, it's high time that you both got back to sleep," Euron announced. He stood up and helped the two siblings to settle back under the blankets.

"I'll stay for the night," he assured, leaning down to place a fatherly kiss on each of their foreheads.

The hardened sea captain then lay down atop the covers at Yara's side, propping his upper body against the headboard. Euron then grabbed an extra blanket and draped it over his legs.

"Thank you, uncle," Yara said quietly, as she blinked slowly up at him. The girl was clearly on the verge of sleep. "Thanks for everything."

"Shh," Euron soothed. "Just sleep, little dolphin. If either of you has another night terror, I'll be here to wake you up. I promise."

To help ease his two wards into sleep, Euron began to hum a quiet mariner's ballad. As he hummed, he allowed his words to mix with the sounds of the raging storm outside.

* * *

Yara's story comes from the Game of Throne History and Lore video explaining the Ironborn religion.


End file.
